With Delhi’s air quality plunging into the ‘severe’ category for three consecutive days, the Delhi government on Wednesday announced a new set of emergency measures to curb pollution, including mandatory work-from-home norms, stricter vehicle restrictions and intensified checks on polluting vehicles.
The fresh steps will come into force from Thursday, supplementing Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-IV) already imposed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) after the city’s Air Quality Index remained in the ‘severe’ range since December 13.
Work From Home Mandate: What the New Rules Say
Delhi Labour Minister Kapil Mishra announced that both government and private offices must immediately shift to a work-from-home model or face action. However, the order allows limited physical attendance.
Under the guidelines, private offices operating within the National Capital Territory of Delhi must ensure that no more than 50 per cent of their staff attend the workplace physically, while the remaining employees work from home compulsorily.
The WFH mandate does not apply to emergency and frontline workers, including personnel engaged in:
- Hospitals and health services
- Fire and emergency services
- Departments involved in pollution control
- Transport and sanitation services
Compensation for Construction Workers
As construction activities remain restricted under GRAP-IV, the Delhi government announced financial relief for affected workers.
Kapil Mishra said construction workers would receive ₹10,000 as compensation for the period during which GRAP-IV remains in force. He added that the registration process for eligible workers is currently underway.
Fuel Denied Without PUC Certificate
To further rein in vehicular pollution, the Delhi government has made Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates mandatory for refuelling vehicles.
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said vehicles without a valid PUC certificate will not be supplied fuel at petrol pumps from Thursday.
PUC certificates are issued after emission checks at authorised centres across Delhi. The cost is:
- ₹60 for two- and three-wheelers
- ₹80 for four-wheelers
- ₹100 for diesel vehicles
The certificate is valid for 12 months for BS-IV and BS-VI compliant vehicles.
Ban on Construction Material Vehicles, BS-6 Norms Enforced
Sirsa also announced a complete ban on vehicles carrying construction material entering Delhi.
“Trucks carrying construction materials into Delhi have also been banned. I appeal to people coming from outside Delhi to bring vehicles that comply with Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) emission standards,” he told ANI.
Additionally, all vehicles below BS-6 norms registered outside Delhi will be barred from entering the city whenever GRAP-III and GRAP-IV are in force.
Enforcement, Supreme Court Order and What’s Next
The Delhi Traffic Police and transport department enforcement teams will be deployed at petrol pumps and city borders to ensure strict compliance from Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday withdrew protection against coercive action for BS-III and older vehicles in the national capital.
The Delhi government has also announced plans to roll out a dedicated carpooling app as part of its longer-term strategy to reduce vehicular emissions.
